COVER STORY
11
RORY MCILROY v
ADAM SCOTT (2013
Australian Open)
Adam Scott returned home for the
2013 Australian summer of golf
a hero, having become the first
Australian to capture the Masters
earlier that year.
The Queenslander entered the
Australian Open having already won
the Australian PGA and Australian
Masters – and was looking to
complete the trifecta. But he was
greeted by an eager-to-win Rory
McIlroy, who, up to that point, had
spent the year winless.
The pair traded blows all week
before McIlroy shot a final round
six-under 66 to
defeat Scott – who
signed for a 71 –
by one shot.
10
HALE IRWIN v MIKE DONALD
(1990 US Open)
Two-time champion Irwin was 45 and
in need of a special exemption into the field at
Medinah. Mike Donald was a Tour journeyman
with one win. But despite being unlikely
combatants, the two delivered one of the most
memorable US Opens in history.
Irwin holed a long birdie putt at the 72nd
hole and watched from the commentary box as
Donald held his nerve to match his eight-under
total. Unable to be separated in the 18-hole
playoff, the players headed for sudden death,
where Donald couldn’t match Irwin’s birdie three.
9
PHIL MICKELSON v SERGIO
GARCIA (2016 Ryder Cup)
On paper, the 2016 Ryder Cup
might not sound like an epic affair; the United
States defeated Europe 17 – 11 in a dominant
display. But there was one particular match,
between Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson,
which was arguably the greatest ever.
To put it simply, Mickelson made 10 birdies,
shot 63 and still couldn’t earn his team a point.
Garcia played a blemish-free round, fired
nine birdies and combined with Mickelson to
produce a better ball score of 58. ►